Releasable fasteners, coupling devices, and securing mechanisms are often used to temporarily couple components together. Explosive couplers are commonplace within the aerospace industry. Explosive couplers are used to securely attach components together until a release time when an explosive is detonated to separate the components from one another. For example, explosive load release devices are typically used in spacecraft and launch vehicles (during ejection of the first propulsion stage of a multi-stage rocket). Since the late 1940s, the increasing use of space around earth has resulted in a troublesome debris field, where some of this debris is due to explosive load release devices.
Regulatory agencies have been diligent in their attempts to minimize the amount of debris left in space. Consequently, efforts have been made to capture or reduce the frangible pieces of separation devices that are created post-detonation. For instance, the Space Shuttle uses eight large nuts to hold the two solid rocket boosters to the launch pad (each nut has 2.5 inch diameter threads, and weighs about 12.5 pounds). Upon the launch release command, the nuts split and are captured in a padded fairing, and remain with the booster until that stage is recovered at sea. Unfortunately, debris capture systems and related mechanisms involve additional weight, maintenance, and cost.